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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535188">checkerboard snapdragons</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavendrlies/pseuds/lavendrlies'>lavendrlies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Violence, Robot/Human Relationships, Secret Relationship, Self-Indulgent, Surprise Kissing, but it’s pretty much canon typical, set in chapter 1 of canon, technically, very very self-indulgent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:07:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavendrlies/pseuds/lavendrlies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They have two days to either kill someone to get a free pass out, or die hand in hand. Only two days.</p><p>Unknown to their classmates, Kiibo and Kokichi find solace in one another's company.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>K1-B0/Oma Kokichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>checkerboard snapdragons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kokichi hummed flatly as he wandered around the school grounds, arms folded neatly behind his head. As if being stuck in this hellhole wasn't bad enough, now they had a time limit. It really wasn't an exaggeration to say it was kill or be killed, was it?</p><p> </p><p>Still, no matter how much scheming he did, he knew there wasn't any real way out except for a murder to occur. The underground tunnel was useless, seeing as they couldn't get close to the end, and there was no way to break through the walls surrounding them. Clearly, getting rid of Monokuma hadn't stopped anything either, so the only options left were to comply with the killing game, or get rid of the person behind it. </p><p> </p><p>That is, if it were possible to get rid of them. He snorted at the idea - wouldn't it make sense that whoever was behind this to remain hidden? What said that they even had to be on the premises? </p><p> </p><p>Of course, there was the third option to fight back, but Kokichi found that venture to be utterly pointless. Entertaining, maybe, but more than likely to end in lots of squashed bodies. He shivered, remembering the Exisals. He had to admit that they were intimidating - impressive, even. And they were something that could be called upon to combat any uprisings between the participants, so it goes without saying that a confrontation wouldn't end well. The only secure option really was to kill, huh?</p><p> </p><p>He sighed heavily as he dropped his arms and hesitated at the staircase. Where to go now? He eyed the rest of the hallway, before his gaze flickered to the stairs and catching the sound of footsteps shuffling on the upper floor. He let a grin grow on his face, happy to have a distraction from his pondering as he hopped upstairs, going two at a time. He peeked through the railing, recognising the figures of Kiibo and Rantaro down the hall, and let his smile widen. Just the people he wanted to see! He hurried his pace, before slowing to a casual advance. It wasn't like he wanted to come off as desperate for attention, or some other bullshit. He could hear soft conversation fluttering between the two, but knew that it couldn't be anything of interest when their postures were so relaxed. </p><p> </p><p>"So what'cha talking about?" He asked cheerily as he reached out to grab onto their arms, slotting himself comfortably between them and into the conversation. Kiibo startled at his sudden appearance and tugged his arm out of Kokichi's hold, much to his annoyance, but Rantaro merely chuckled goodnaturedly. His eyebrows shifted in mild concern, but he was smiling nonetheless, and didn't shrug his hold off his arm like a certain robot. </p><p> </p><p>"Nothing important." He replied, while Kiibo fidgeted beside them, still keeping pace despite his disgruntled reaction to the intruder. "We were just brainstorming ideas for what my talent could be, but nothing feels like it fits." He shook his head, sighing. "Though maybe I wouldn't be able to remember if it fit, anyway. I guess there really is no winning."</p><p> </p><p>Kokichi clicked his tongue, releasing the other's arm in exchange for returning his arms to their familiar position behind his head. "Y'know, saying it like that makes it seem like you just don't have a talent at all." Kiibo made a disapproving sound beside him, but he elected to ignore it as he watched Rantaro rested his chin on his knuckles. </p><p> </p><p>"That is an option, isn't it?" He mused, something complentative flickering across his expression, before he chuckled once more, shrugging. "Honestly, I'd rather have full knowledge of a lack of talent than this constant uncertainty."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, but I'm sure you do have a talent!" Kiibo argued encouragingly, placing his hands on his hips. "It's just bad luck that you forgot your Ultimate talent, right? After all, everyone's forgotten how we got here, so we're all affected by memory loss of some capacity."</p><p> </p><p>"I dunno. Maybe." Rantaro murmured, and Kokichi recognised the conversation was lulling. Huffing, unsatisfied with this disappointing interaction, he turned to begin walking backwards. Rantaro seemed as amused as Kiibo seemed confused, and he snickered quietly at the contrast in reaction.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, I'm bored!" Kokichi announced after a few lazy steps back, stopping in front of the others and forcing them to halt accordingly. He rocked back on his heels as he waved at the two dismissively. "You're both terrible entertainment! Especially you, Kiiboy. Geez, aren't robots supposed to be good at that?"</p><p> </p><p>Kiibo spluttered for a few moments, as usual, offended by the robophobia. "I'm not here for your <em>entertainment</em>, Kokichi!" The boy in question merely shrugged in response, a playful grin tugging his lips.</p><p> </p><p>"Could've fooled me!" He mocked, enjoying the tint of embarrassment decorating Kiibo's face. As it turned out, Rantaro didn't find it merely as amusing he did, because his eyes darkened. </p><p> </p><p>"Kokichi." He said, in a stern tone that offered no room for argument, like a parent, or maybe an older brother. The relaxed air seemed to have evaporated in an instant, and perhaps a lesser man would have felt intimidated by the look of warning in Rantaro's eyes. Kokichi, however, was not a lesser man, and therefore resolved to pout.</p><p> </p><p>"Whaaat? I'm just pointing out what everyone was thinking!" He held up his hands in surrender, trying to show off his best puppy eyes to promote his completely innocent status. Then, he quickly shifted his attention to Kiibo, who looked mildly touched at the prospect of someone standing up for him. "You know I love hanging out with you, right Kiiboy? This is just how I show my affection!" </p><p> </p><p>He winked, and before either of the two could refute or react, he swiftly slipped away, off to find a more effective distraction. Maybe Kaede wouldn't mind hanging out.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Two hours had passed since the nighttime announcement, and Kiibo was finally emerging from his dorm, restless. It was quiet, and he could safely assume everyone was asleep. Unfortunately, he was an exception, and he had no need to charge tonight. Besides, something in him was restless. It wanted him to walk under the stars, and that's what he did. He looked up at the twinkling lights through the dome, pace slow and languid. The main building loomed in front of him, imposing in the semi darkness, and the tug in his chest guided him inside. </p><p> </p><p>It was eerie, with the lack of some sort of distant movement or bustling. The hallways were bathed in strips of moonlight that snuck through the window panes, and illuminated by Kiibo's own dull glow. He wandered, not as bothered by the lifelessness of the building as one would expect, allowing the urging of something within him to lead the way.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, he found himself entering the library. He always did enjoy reading at night, when he himself didn't sleep. He skimmed the titles and shelves for a few minutes, hovering around the room. Then, making sure that he didn't hear anyone awake and in the basement, he slipped his hand between the space between bookshelves and pulled to reveal a hidden black and white door. He unlocked the pocket at his breast to retrieve a card, and swiped it on the reader before returning it to its place. Then, with quick steps and a small smile on his face, he made his way through the door.</p><p> </p><p>The room itself was larger than what would have been expected, and almost entirely covered in black and white. There was a multitude of screens across the walls, some off while the others were broadcasting images of currently empty areas. There was a low table surrounded by couches on three out of four sides in the center of the room, and behind that was a large structure covered by a black sheet. Kiibo himself had been the one who insisted for it to remain covered when not in use.</p><p> </p><p>There were two large desk areas on either side of the room, one with a black table and a white desk chair, and the other the inverse. As Kiibo moved further into the room, the black desk chair spun around to reveal one grinning Kokichi Ouma. He smoothly got up from his chair and rushed over to wrap his arms around Kiibo's shoulders and press a searing kiss to his lips. The robot really couldn't do anything but return it, though it wasn't like he would have pulled away if he had been given the opportunity.</p><p> </p><p>"I've been waiting for days for that kiss, you know that, right?" Kokichi said as soon as he pulled away, arms still around his neck. He noticed that Kokichi must have taken out his contact, as one eye was a royal purple while the other was a deep amber. The other pouted, turning his head upwards to face the ceiling. "It's sooo frustrating, seeing you right there and not being able to kiss you. Whose bright idea was it to have a mini rivalry instead of a lovey dovey relationship anyway?"</p><p> </p><p>"If I remember, it was, in fact, yours." Kiibo replied, maneuvering his arms away from his neck. At the voiced protests, he merely shifted his grip to hold onto both his hands, which seemed to settle the issue. He smiled softly, a contrast to the harsh red that had overtaken his buttons. "Speaking of which, that additional motive was a wonderful idea. It was taking a bit too long for something to happen, wasn't it?"</p><p> </p><p>Kokichi nodded neatly, squeezing Kiibo's hands as a smug smile bloomed on his face. "It was! Really, considering the types of personalities here, I thought they'd be jumping on the First Blood Perk." He snickered, and Kiibo's smile curled upwards slightly, staining it with malignance. He sighed, wriggling his hands out of his partner's hold and sticking his hands in his pockets. "A little miscalculation on our part, but that's fine. I'm sure someone will at least attempt <em>something</em> now that there's a deadline. Anyway, I have something to show you!"</p><p> </p><p>He giggled at his own pun, turning around to go marching back to his desk, and Kiibo rolled his eyes fondly before trailing after him. The shorter collapsed onto his chair, dragging it closer to the desk from where it had rolled off. He pushed papers aside as he reached out to tap on the screen closest to him, and Kiibo settled himself beside the chair, resting an elbow on the back. It took a few moments, but the screen soon shifted to a recording of the library with a timestamp of earlier that day, with Kaede and Shuichi in front of an uncovered secret door. The robot tensed, but didn't say anything as Kokichi didn't show any signs of worry. Audio began to filter through the speakers around the room, attacking him from all sides. His fingers curled nervously as he realised the topic of conversation and his eyes flickered down to Kokichi, who caught his gaze with a shrewd smile. "Don't worry about it." He murmured as the pair disappeared from the screen when the conversation wound down and the audio cut out. </p><p> </p><p>"They're trying to expose us." Kiibo replied simply, knowing that his partner would understand his concerns. After all, he was the one who showed this specifically to him. Kokichi tilted his head with a click of his tongue, eyes narrowing at the screen, which was fading to black.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure. But they're not gonna succeed." He reclined in the chair, propping his feet on the desk as he tipped his head back to look at Kiibo with mirth in his eyes. "First off, they think there's only one of us. That already fucks up their plan of ending the killing game by exposing the singular mastermind." He hummed in acknowledgement, yet still raised a questioning eyebrow, not convinced. "Second, they're assuming that we only have one entrance. Why'd you think I showed you this? You're the one who uses the library entrance, not me!"</p><p> </p><p>Kiibo considered the reasoning, before relenting with a small nod. Then, after a moment of pause, frowned. "But I don't have any good reason to go to the boys bathroom like you do."</p><p> </p><p>"Just sneak in. Say you've gotta rinse some part out. C'mon, I know you know how to make excuses." Kokichi shot back, raising an arm to pat Kiibo's, a sign to move away from the chair. Kiibo did so, allowing the other to spin back around and hop up with a sly grin. "Anyway, after the first murder, they'll have more to worry about than some locked door. You'll probably be able to use the library entrance again after that."</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe." Kiibo mused, eyes darkening as he thought of a hypothetical class trial. Anticipation and excitement sparked in his gut - he couldn't wait to see how his 'classmates' handled a trial. In all honesty, he couldn't wait to see how they chose to kill each other, too. It was fascinating, all so fascinating.</p><p> </p><p>"I know that look." Kokichi cooed with a gentle grin, pulling Kiibo back into the room. He tangled their fingers together as mania seeped into his irises. "You won't have to wait much longer, my beloved. I assure you that." His voice was low, quiet, and they both knew the weight of the meaning. And in a second, the moment passed. His fingers slipped away, and he skipped over to one of the couches, taking a seat. When he spoke again, his voice was chipper. "Anywho! How have the audience been treating you? Well, I hope?"</p><p> </p><p>Kiibo groaned at the reminder, and his partner had the audacity to chuckle at his reluctance to speak. "That bad?" He ran a hand through his hair, careful not to disturb the antenna as he dragged his feet towards the couch, nodding. </p><p> </p><p>"Having to constantly deal with their decisions and comments is giving me a migraine. My head still aches, and they haven't been connected since nighttime started!" He complained, though he might have been exaggerating a tiny bit: such was the unfortunate downside with spending so much time with Kokichi. The inner voice was irritating and occasionally headache inducing, sure, but as of yet, their decisions weren't too bad. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, poor thing." Kokichi mocked, though he still furiously motioned for Kiibo to come sit beside him. It was typically a sign that cuddles or other affectionate events were about to take place, and he certainly wasn't complaining. Kiibo moved to sit beside him, and Kokichi was quick to grab his head and guide it to his lap. Adapting, he shifted to lay down, letting his head remain on the other's lap and closing his eyes as he felt fingers tangle comfortingly in his hair. </p><p> </p><p>They sat in comfortable silence, Kokichi carding his fingers through his hair and humming as Kiibo soaked in the warmth of his partner's presence. "If nobody kills before the time limit runs out, I wouldn't mind starting the killing game off." He whispered, almost hesitant to break the silence blanketing them. The humming tapered off, and for a brief moment, the fingers in his hair stilled. The robot quickly continued, to avoid miscommunication. "You know I personally rigged our executions. If it ever got to that point, where we're desperate-"</p><p> </p><p>"Nope, that's not happening." Kokichi cut in with a voice laced with song. His petting resumed. "You're our wonderful camera, so you wouldn't be able to stage a murder without the audience knowing. And wouldn't watching a trial when you already know the culprit be boring? The best mysteries are ones with twists and turns, after all, and if you killed someone, there wouldn't be any opportunity for that."</p><p> </p><p>"I suppose that's true." He agreed, trying not to sound dejected. Kiibo wasn't necessarily co-masterminding this killing game because he was eager to kill someone, but he had to admit, he was curious. So, so curious. He'd never had the opportunity to personally kill someone, despite his curiosity, and he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like. </p><p> </p><p>"Don't look so disappointed." Kokichi teased, leaning down to press a kiss in his hair. Kiibo flushed, embarrassed at being so easily seen through. He could trick everyone else, play a part and hide his morbid fascinations and curiosities with ease, yet when it came to Kokichi, he was practically an open book. "If we get to that point, I'll do the dirty work. Buuut you may get an opportunity if the audience wants you to kill someone. Oh, wouldn't that be fun! Letting the audience design a murder case themselves!"</p><p> </p><p>Kiibo smiled, opening his eyes to watch the other's face shine with malevolent excitement at the thought. "Designing the executions were interesting for me, personally. I'm sure the audience would take to that idea like a fish to water." He conceded, melting as Kokichi began to scratch at his scalp.</p><p> </p><p>"Ideas, ideas. Being surrounded by this tense atmosphere yourself really gives you a shot of inspiration!" He laughed, before begin to move. Kiibo lifted his head from his lap, and allowed him to rearrange himself until he was peacefully spooning him, resting his chin on the robot's shoulder. "Set an alarm for 4:30am. We have some time to cuddle, and I don't wanna risk being seen with <em>you</em> by early birds. People might assume things." His tone shifted momentarily, a playful yet harsher lilt. A momentary reference to his game persona.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm not an alarm clock, you know that." He replied with an amused smile that contrasted his begrudging tone, playing along. Then, he leaned into the warmth and weight against his back with a content sigh. "Sleep, Kokichi."</p><p> </p><p>An annoyed whine, like a child that was forced to go to bed. Perhaps the analogy wasn't too far off. "Only for you, Kiiboy."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Extremely self indulgent,,,but sometimes,,,you just get the urge to write some immoral kids having a fluffy gay time,,,and a plot twist! I enjoy writing darker takes on characters, so I'm surprised it took me this long to explore a mastermind AU.</p><p>In all honesty though, I genuinely think that Kokichi and Kiibo make a great mastermind pair. Not even considering it from a shipping lens, I feel like when you think about it, it could work well? I don't know, I have a lot of feelings about mastermind Kiibouma</p><p>I've got a new Tumblr (because the old one was in an eternal state of not being set up) so if you wanna ask me anything, or chat, you can find me @lavendrlies !</p></blockquote></div></div>
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